1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing game device, and more particularly to a fishing game device that allows the user to readily enjoy a simulated fishing experience integrated with images of fishing shown on a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Game devices that allow one to experience simulations of the various little pleasures of life by means of electronic devices, such as driving games, combat games, Japanese chess games, surfing games, and other such game devices, are in widespread use. Fishing games of various designs have also been proposed.
For example, Unexamined Patent Application Kokai 2-79892 teaches a simulated fishing game device. In the technology disclosed therein, the experience of tugging by the fish is simulated by drawing the end of a fishing line onto a reel attached to a reel motor while using an orbiting arm driven by a motor to simulate sideways motion of the fish, allowing one to experience fishing indoors.
In actual fishing, particularly lure fishing, movement of the fishing pole, which imparts the desired action to the lure, is an extremely important element. Tugs produced by an actual fish vary multidirectionally in timing. Selection of the proper lure for the fishing location also has considerable impact on the fishing outcome. Accordingly, it is important for a fishing game to allow the player to vary the lure in accordance with the fishing location environment.
Thus, any game device having a lure fishing theme must be capable of sensing manipulation of the fishing pole with the intent of imparting action to the lure so that more realistic fish behavior can be simulated. The fishing simulator device taught in Unexamined Patent Application Kokai 2-79892, however, employs only two servo motors to simulate tugging by the fish.
Another important element of actual fishing is the subtle motion produced by the fish nibbling on the bait before it actually becomes caught on the hook. The reel motor taught in the aforementioned publication, however, simply places load on the fishing line.
Since the fishing device will be used by some large unspecified number of players, the device should have simplicity of design and ease of maintenance.
The simulated fishing device taught in the aforementioned publication cannot reproduce the subtle motion produced by the fish nibbling on the bait, simulated pulling by the fish becomes rather monotonous. Pulling by the fish is simulated by attaching to a drum a line that is not connected to the fishing rod and then turning the drum, and thus when the line becomes slack around the outside of the drum it can become entangled, possibly causing the line to break.
Nor does the aforementioned publication teach selection of bait, lure, or other elements, and accordingly lacks the interest of real lure fishing. Game development in the conventional fishing device progresses in substantially unvarying fashion, allowing the player to anticipate the size and location of the fish after playing the game a few times. The motivation to catch ever larger fish is thus lost, so that the player loses interest in the fishing game machine.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fishing game device that gives the player an experience closely resembling actual lure fishing, and that has a simple design accommodating use by a large unspecified number of players.
It is a further object to provide a fishing game device that allows the player to make proper selection of the lure for the fishing location, and that provides to the player an experience which closely resembles the actual fishing experience, in which fish migrate in response to wind direction and water temperature at real-world fishing locations and in which fish that are not caught grow over time to become bigger fish.
According to the present invention, the aforementioned objects are achieved through the following means.
Specifically the first composition of a game fishing device according to the present invention comprises a fishing rod having one end of a fishing line secured to the distal end thereof, a securing end securing the other end of the fishing line, a first drive mechanism for imparting transverse pulling force to the fishing line along the path of the fishing line between the fishing rod and the securing end, and a second drive mechanism for imparting longitudinal pulling force to the fishing line along the path of the fishing line between the fishing rod and the securing end.
The side to side movement of the first drive mechanism and the back and forth movement of the second drive mechanism impart to fishing rod having the fishing line secured to the distal end thereof fish pulling force that moves side to side and back and forth.
The second composition of a game fishing device according to the present invention, in addition to the first composition, further comprises a vibrating unit for imparting finely graduated motion to the fishing line along the path of the fishing line between the first drive mechanism and the securing end, and a slack uptake unit for taking up slack in the fishing line.
Accordingly, small vibrating motions are imparted to the fishing line by the vibrating unit for imparting finely graduated motion to the fishing line, providing a sensation which closely approximates the real fishing experience. The slack uptake unit keeps the fishing line constantly taut with respect to the fishing rod, affording the player the simulated experience of manipulating a lure.
The first and second drive mechanisms of the present invention are provided with a slide table capable of moving in the direction in which force will be applied to the fishing line, and with a slide rail for regulating the direction of motion of the slide table. Thus, the drive mechanism that produces the fish tugging simulation moves in linear fashion, reducing the incidence of line tangling compared to the rotating drum design of the prior art.
The third composition of a game fishing device according to the present invention further comprises a sensing unit provided to the sliding table of the first drive mechanism for sensing the vertical and sideways orientation of the fishing rod. Since the fishing rod position can be sensed by the game device unit, the fishing rod can be made lighter.
The design of the sensing unit specifically comprises a sliding plate furnished with a hole in the center thereof through which the fishing line passes, and a sensor disposed in proximity to the slide plate for sensing the direction and/or the amount of motion of the slide plate.
Accordingly, fishing line position and fishing pole orientation can be determined through slide plate motion sensed by the sensor.
This composition allows both vertical and sideways motion to be sensed using a single sensing unit, affording simplicity of design and ease of adjustment. Since motion detection takes place at the location on the unit closest to the fishing rod, subtle movements of the fishing rod can be detected.
The slide table of the second drive mechanism comprises a pivoted rotating member, a fishing line guide attached to the other end of the rotating member and engaging the fishing line, and a spring member attached to the rotating member for imparting restoring force in opposition to tugs on the fishing line. Thus, snapping of the fishing pole and breaking of the fishing line are prevented in the event that the fishing rod is vigorously swung about.
The rotating member can be secured to the cabinet. This allows the slide table to be made lighter and affords a simple design, improving response characteristics.
The aforementioned vibrating unit specifically comprises two fishing line guides which engage the fishing line, an eccentric roller whose side face contacts the fishing line stretched between the two fishing line guides, and a motor for turning the eccentric roller. This makes it possible to produce subtle movements simulating nibbling at the baited hook by the fish prior to becoming caught on the hook.
By changing the speed of rotation of the eccentric roller, the frequency of vibration imparted to the fishing line by the vibrating unit can be altered. By controlling the intensity and frequency of vibration applied to the fishing line, it is possible to simulate the resistance produced by fish of different sizes and to simulate different numbers of fish nibbling on the bait.
The vibrating unit can modify the stroke of fishing line motion by moving the eccentric roller from side to side, making possible simulation of the fish taking the bait and pulling on the line, or simply nibbling at the bait.
The vibrating unit can also modify the stroke of fishing line motion by moving from side to side the fishing line guide through which the fishing line is passed. Thus, the effects described above may be realized through a simple structure in which the fishing line guide are simply moved from side to side.
The vibrating unit can also modify the stroke of fishing line motion by moving one or two fishing line guides towards and away from the eccentric roller. According to this invention, the length of the fishing line drawn in by the eccentric roller and the acceleration of fishing line movement can be varied, allowing vibration to be modified according to numerous variations.
The aforementioned slack uptake unit comprises stationary first and second fishing line guides, and a movable third fishing line guide for guiding the fishing line along the path of the fishing line suspended between the first and second fishing line guides. Slack in the fishing line can be taken up through the constant application of pulling force to the fishing line by the movably supported fishing line guide.
In lure fishing, the fishing rod is moved incrementally to impart action to the lure; in the design described here the fishing line is maintained constantly taut in response to movement of the fishing rod, providing a more realistic simulation of the experience of manipulating a lure.
The composition of the slack uptake unit specifically comprises a rotating element having the third fishing line guide attached to one end thereof and being pivoted at the other end, and a spring member attached to the rotating member for imparting restoring force to the spring member in opposition to pulling force exerted on the fishing line. The fishing line is kept constantly taut by the spring member, allowing slacking in the fishing line to be taken up.
Providing the spindle of the rotating member with an encoder or volume allows the slack uptake unit to ascertain through displacement thereof the amount of motion of the fishing rod.
An alternative composition of the slack uptake unit comprises a slide table, movable in the direction in which pulling force is applied to the fishing line, on which the third fishing line guide is mounted, a slide rail for limiting the direction of motion of the slide table, and an a spring member attached to the slide table for imparting restoring force to the slide table in opposition to pulling force exerted on the fishing line.
This design allows slack in the fishing line to be taken up in the manner described above, and since the component is similar to the slide tables of the first and second drive mechanisms, parts can be made interchangeable and maintenance can be facilitated.
According to the invention disclosed herein, the first drive mechanism, which applies pulling force to the fishing line in the transverse direction, can be optionally omitted. In this case, the sensing unit will be stationary and it will not be possible to simulate pulling by the fish in the transverse direction, but this is compensated for by greatly simplified structure and greater ease of maintenance.
In another aspect, the fishing game device of the present invention provides a fishing game device comprising a display unit, a control unit for converting into two-dimensional coordinates data for objects having three-dimensional coordinates in a three-dimensional virtual space and controlling the display of images of these objects on the display unit, and a simulated fishing rod manipulated by the player, wherein images of the objects shown on the display are updated in response to movements of the simulated fishing rod, further comprising a sensing element for sensing movements of the simulated fishing rod manipulated by the player, wherein the control unit establishes a camera viewpoint on the basis of a specific relationship to the coordinates of the object in a three-dimensional coordinate system and controls the display unit so as to display image data produced through projection of the object, as viewed from the camera viewpoint, onto a two-dimensional plane, and wherein the object coordinates and camera viewpoint coordinates maintained in a specific relationship to the object coordinates are updated in response to movements of the simulated fishing rod sensed by the sensing element.
Accordingly, fish movement during the game can be controlled through detection of subtle movements of the fishing rod manipulated by the player, fish data stored in a memory component or the like within the device can be varied with time, and the camera viewpoint from which images of the lure and the like shown on the display unit are viewed can be altered in response to movements of the fishing rod sensed by the sensing element, giving the player an experience which closely approximates actual lure fishing.
Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments referring to the accompanying drawings.